


System Overheat: Matt Holt

by Scarlett_sama



Series: Pokémon Latte AU [2]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pokemon GO, Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: And The World Will Turn to Ash (Pokemon Fan Comic) References, Ex Gym Leader Matt Holt, Former Alolan Champion Lance, Light Angst, M/M, Pokemon AU, Pokemon GO Team Leaders, Pokemon Latte Trainers, Trainer Bonded to a Legendary Pokemon, sick matt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-30
Updated: 2018-12-30
Packaged: 2019-09-30 09:30:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,344
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17221346
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scarlett_sama/pseuds/Scarlett_sama
Summary: It has been a week.A week since Lance found Matt in route seven's Celestial Tower in Unova. The Legendary Pokémon Zekrom's DNA spliced into his body and bonded to the huge thunder god. His life spared, but his future taken, and with one problem comes a dozen more. But with Matt's recovery Lance can hope some good is coming their way...till Matt gets sick.





	System Overheat: Matt Holt

**Author's Note:**

> And here's part two to the series! *throws confetti*....In all honesty, I've had this part done for a week now. Just been fighting with myself to start this series. Wanted to make sure I was super dedicated to doing this and keeping the information stable. *shrugs* Part three turned out good so here we are. Posting Part two to go with part one. 
> 
> *bows* So I hope you guys enjoy. I might post part three soon depending on everyone's response to the series so far.

The soft chirp of Pidove filled the, cold, crisp morning air. Light fluttered over Iccuris City and the crunch of snow smashed under footfalls. A soft gust of wind fallen over the town as a bundled hand covered his face from the wind and yanked his hood further over his head. The fur that lined it brushed against his caramel cheeks while plastic rattled in the wind and a harsh sigh filled the air. A puff of smoke followed and dissipated into nothingness. 

 

It had been a week. 

 

The heavy shadow of the tower ahead casted over him. The rising sun blocked in an instant while the nearby Pokémon scattered. The two, massive, Haxorus that stood at the tower’s gates glanced at him for a brief moment, while the teen moved past them and pushed on the door. The heavy, stone, entryway gave way under his force and swung inwards. The cold air and snow blasted inside, dusted across the granite floor, as the trainer stepped inside and the two Druddigon inside pushed the door closed. A small nod of the head given to them, and returned to the teen, as he headed for the stairs and up them. The warmth in the air settled around him and his shivering calmed. 

 

A whole week since…

 

Eyebrows furrowed. Distant screams rattled in his head, a soft, blue, glow flashed across his gaze and his eyelids snapped shut. Feet halted on the stairs and the two dragons at the entrance glanced at him in confusion. 

 

Since Matthew Holt, one of the Gym Leaders of the Hoenn region, had been bonded to the Legendary Pokémon Zekrom of Unova. The powerful trainer captured on his trip to Kanto, while in search of his missing father, and whisked away to the faraway region to be used as an experiment. The thunder god’s DNA implanted into Matt and… 

 

The distant screams echoed into his head again and a shaky breath left him as he opened his eyes and continued up the stairs. 

 

And Lance had found him. In route seven’s Celestial Tower, on the top floor, and dying from the reaction the DNA caused. The only way to spare him being to call Professor Willow from the Kanto region and speak to the Team Leader Spark. Who talked Lance through how to help the dying Gym Leader and in the end…Matt was bonded to the huge dragon Zekrom. The towering, pitch black, electric god who saved Matt from death and kept him alive. The recovery after difficult, but Matt was finally healthy. He had been for a few days, but the reality of what happened had sunk in and Matt had remained quiet for the past few days. Eyes stuck to the scars on his flesh and barely shakeable. It was beyond painful to watch. 

 

Feet stopped at the towering doors at the top of the staircase and gloved hands pushed one of the doors open a tad. The Alolan trainer slipped inside, before he closed it behind him with his back and shrugged off his coat. Kip’s, cry bringing a smile to Lance’s face, as he dropped the clothing onto the floor and looked up to greet his partner. 

 

Clank!

 

The bag in his hand crashed to the floor and the ready made food inside crinkled in their plastic containers. Feet skidded across the floor just as Kip slid next to him and barked in concern. Zekrom knelt down on both knees on the granite, head bowed, and Matt curled up on the hard floor. Hair strewn every which way and his legs and arms tangled as if he fell. Soft rumbles echoed into the air as Lance skid across the floor and collapsed onto the floor beside the gym leader. 

 

“Matt!” 

 

Caramel hands reached out and carefully rested against the male’s back. Heat instantly reached his palm, from under the fabric, and eyebrows furrowed as he carefully turned the man over onto his back. Labored breaths the first thing he heard, before the red flush across his cheeks, and the bright glow of his electric scars, reached his gaze and Kip skidded to a stop next to them. A concerned call snapped at him, but Matt still unresponsive, while Lance’s eyebrows furrowed. 

 

“What happened?” Lance demanded, as he looked to his Mudkip and the Legendary dragon in the room. Kip instantly crouched on the floor and his fins drooped, while Zekrom’s hands shifted away from them and the god rumbled sadly. “That’s not helping you two. Did he seem off to you or did he suddenly collapse?”

 

Kip reached out to tap his arm twice and the former champion’s eyebrows furrowed further. The answer not the one he expected, but also not what he wanted. 

 

Lance had only been gone for a little over twenty minutes. The Alolan trainer left just as the sunrise started, and went off to Iccuris city to get breakfast. Matt up and awake, short replies all he gave with Lance’s departure, and Kip settled in his lap. The Gym Leader on the huge pillow they called a bed and bundled in blankets. Not passed out on the floor with a raging fever and unconscious. 

 

“Why was he out of bed?” Lance asked, as he reached out and set his hand on the male’s forehead. A yelp instantly left his lips as he yanked his hand back and Kip barked at him. Water shot onto his red hand and the cold liquid instantly soothed over the light burn now on his flesh. “Why is he so hot? That’s not normal.”

 

A concerned noise left the dragon couched down above them and Lance watched the Gym Leader laid across the floor. The glow of his scars in sync with his heartbeat, short and erratic, while the red flush across his cheeks seemed to spread. Caramel fingers reached into his trainer bag and his PokéNav snatched from inside as he scrolled through his contacts. His thumb smashed into the name of the individual he needed and the device set on the floor as Lance rooted around in his bag. 

 

_ “Five more minutes, Go.” _ A tired, whined, voice demanded from the floor. 

 

The Alolan trainer’s actions stopped as blue eyes blinked and turned to the device. Kanto’s Instinct Team Leader in bed, curled up in blankets, a Pikachu themed tank top over his upper half, and his blonde hair an ever living mess. His face buried in a pillow and arm outstretched to the screen as if he grabbed his communicator off his side table.

 

“Uh…who is Go?” Lance asked, before the man’s head whipped up and blue eyes stared back at him. The Team Leader suddenly sitting up in alarm while the younger raised an eyebrow. “Who names their ki-”

 

“Lance? Why are you calling me at…?” The man’s gaze shifted away from him and his expression crinkled. “Dear Arceus, Lance, it’s not even two in the morning yet.”

 

A bit of guilt settled into his belly, before Kip tapped at his hand in worry and blue eyes shifted to the slowly worsening Gym Leader on the floor. 

 

“Matt needs your help.” The former Alolan Champion spoke, as the blonde suddenly snapped his mouth shut and frowned heavily. 

 

“What’s wrong?” A frown fell over Lance’s face as he turned the screen towards the Gym Leader. 

 

“He was fine when I left, but I came back and he was collapsed and he’s hot. Like way hotter than he should be and a normal human should be and-”

 

“Oh! He’s sick.”

 

Silence fell over the air as Lance stared down at the back of the device. The PokéNav slowly turned toward him as Mudkip and Zekrom stared down at the device in a stupor. 

 

“Sick?” Lance repeated, while Spark nodded with a smile. “But he’s way hotter than he should be! Shouldn’t he be dead already? He’s like-”

 

“An overheated machine.” Lance stared down at the Team Leader and Spark held up a hand. “Alright, let me explain, cause I know it sounds confusi-”

 

“Of course it’s confusing! He’s a human being, not a computer!” Lance spoke in a panic, while Spark gave him an apologetic smile. 

 

“But he’s bonded to an electric Legendary.” Spark returned, while Lance slowly feel silent. “I get the same way when I get sick. I get hotter than a normal human should be and that’s from the energy I’m trying to burn out of my system and the virus. And honestly, my base temperature is hotter than normal. So is Matt’s. The doctors confirmed it when I was there.

 

Candela runs even hotter than me and she’s like a furnace when she’s sick. Blanche runs a bit colder and he’s a walking freezer when he gets a cold. It’s all based on our bonded Legendary. Since Zekrom is a dragon and electric he runs almost as hot as Moltres and Candela. He’s an overheated computer.”

 

The bright, proud, smile at the end of the explanation did nothing for the Alolan native. His worry spiked higher as he looked to the Gym Leader softly whimpering in his sleep. 

  
“So what do I do then?” Lance demanded, gaze focused back on the man, while Mudkip hopped on his shoulder. “An ice pack isn’t going to work for this.”

 

A hand gestured to the Gym Leader, yet he knew Spark couldn’t see his movement. 

 

“Well when one of us gets sick we usually all do.” Spark mumbled, shoulders shrugged, while Lance frowned. “At that point we all curl up together with Blanche in the center and we balance each other out so...we’ve never found an alternativ-”

 

“Well I need an alternative, Spark. I don’t have a bonded trainer here stuck with an ice type.” Lance interrupted, worry settled into his voice, while the man frowned lightly. “I’m in the middle of a snowy town with a sick bonded Gym Leader and-”

 

“Snow.” Silence filled the air and Spark grinned. “Throw him in the-”

 

“I’m not throwing him in snow Spark! Be serious here!” Lance snapped, while a rubble sounded and Zekrom moved. The Alolan native glanced up just as the dragon lifted Matt off the floor and into the air. “Zekrom-!”

 

A gust of wind nearly knocked him over as the electric god took off out of the room and over the edge of the balcony. Lance scrambled up to his feet, Spark’s concern ignored, while the teen skidded to the railing of the balcony. Kip’s protests ignored, while he flashed his PokéNav downward and looked over himself. The huge god slowly lower to the ground till the snow cracked below it’s huge feet. The two Haxorus that guarded the door to the tower there in a flash to make sure everything was alright, while Zekrom lowered to the ground and set Matt down. 

 

“Whoa, someone is smar-” Spark spoke in awe, before a blast of steam filled the air. 

 

Zekrom jerked back just as the hot air puffed out and billowed into the air. The cloud slowly dissipated to reveal the snow gone around Matt and bright green grass underneath. Kip’s jaw dropped against Lance’s shoulder while the trainer sighed and stood up straight to look at a shocked Spark on his PokéNav. 

 

“We have an alternative?” Lance asked, while the man slowly frowned and shook his head. “Well we can’t just-”

 

A blast of steam sounded and Lance sighed. A low, concerned, rumble left Zekrom while Lance dragged his palm across his face. 

 

“Keep melting snow…” Another blast sounded and the teen frowned at the dragon knelt down far below him. “Nor is it safe for both of them to be out of the tower.”

 

“They both need fresh air.” Spark replied with a shrug, while ocean blue eyes glared at the man, hands held up in defense. “And the cold air might help a bit too.”

 

“And gain attention.” Lance added as another blast of smoke sounded and the trainer gestured to the noise so the man could see. “How can anyone not hear that? Iccuris’ Gym Leader could come out here himself and I don’t want to have to expla-”

 

“He should know though.” Spark spoke up, while Lance sighed and looked back out toward the concerned dragon below. “You can’t stay there forever, Lance, and Matt has to learn to deal with this himself at times too. As well as learn to rely on others. You can’t be his only support.”

 

“I’m not his only-”

 

“Have you challenged Brycen yet?” Teeth sunk into his lower lip and Spark sighed. “See. You’re so hung up on helping Matt you haven’t even challenged the city's Gym Leader that you’re staying in. You can’t keep-”

 

“Well who else is gunna help him and not take advantage of him?” Lance snapped back, while another blast sounded off. “The moment someone finds out about Matt the people that took him could come back and-”

 

“He needs to learn to handle that on his own. It’s the burden that comes with our bonds.”

 

“He didn’t ask for this!”

 

“And he didn’t ask for you to stay Lance.” The silent slap had the teen silent. Mouth snapped shut as he looked out toward the god huddled over Matt and carefully dumping snow on him. His huge hands held onto little clumps that were placed on the Gym Leader’s forehead and steam billowed upon the contact. Concerned rumbles echoed in the air and brown eyebrows furrowed at the sight. “They need to learn to work together and trust each other and other people. Betrayal is part of the price, but the two of them need to learn to take on the chance of it happening and work on protecting themselves. They can’t be coddled forever.”

 

“He just got better.” Lance mumbled, as Spark sadly smiled at him. “He just got better and it’s only been a week and you’re telling me-”

 

“He’s been bonded to Zekrom for nearly two months, Lance.” Spark gently spoke, while the teen glared at him. “It may not be long for you, but for them it’s long enough. They need-”

 

“What Matt needs is a doctor, Spark!”

 

“Matt needs to be alone.” Spark returned, while the teen’s teeth sunk into his bottom lip. “He can’t keep relying on you to be there every morning to bring him breakfast and be there all day with him, Lance. He needs to be alone so Zekrom and him can handle these problems on their own and you can’t keep staying there with him. This isn’t why you originally came to Unova right?”

 

Silence filled the air as the teen’s heart sunk. Tears beaded into his eyes as he held tightly to the PokéNav and Kip tapped at his cheek in worry, because no. This isn’t why he came to Unova. This wasn’t his original intention. Hell, he didn’t even know Matt had been here two months ago till that moment in the tower. He had thought Matt was still in Hoenn with Pidge and running the Mossdeep gym. Not here in Unova, alone…and now he wasn’t alone. 

 

Blue eyes shifted to the dragon amongst the mostly melted snow and the teen amongst the grass. Eyes slowly widened as Matt stirred and Zekrom rumbled in alarm. Knees hit the ground as huge hands curled around the Gym Leader and was lifted into the air. Matt awake when Zekrom brought him to eye level and a weak smile on the man’s face. Fingers rested on the dragon’s palm and the bright glow dulled. His cheeks a soft pink and his breathing steady. 

 

“Lance?” Spark’s voice snapped him back to attention. The tears on his face registered as he wiped at them and the blonde looked at him in worry. “Crap, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to-”

 

“N-No. You’re right.” Lance quietly spoke, while the man looked at him in worry. “I came here to explore and meet new Pokémon and trainers. To see everything I could and find places few people had been to. Maybe find new locations no one ever found before and I can’t do that here.”

 

He couldn’t do it standing still. Stuck in the tower and with Matt. Granted Matt needed him on some level, cared about him to the point he asked Lance to stay. Hell, the Gym Leader had kissed him for Arceus sake! But…he wasn’t the being Matt needed right now. Not with his unstable powers and emotions and uncertainty. Lance couldn’t wash those away and give Matt a sense of calm. That was Zekrom’s job. The Legendary dragon he was bonded to and shared the same powers and abilities with…and Lance couldn’t help with any of that. Hell, he couldn’t even cheer Matt up the past few days.

 

“C-…Can you get him a PokéNav?” Lance quietly asked, while Spark gave him a nod and the teen sucked in a painful breath. “Maybe some Pokéballs or something? Or supplies?”

 

“I’ll get him what he needs.” Spark assured, while the teen nodded and stepped away from the balcony. Zekrom huddled over the Gym Leader in his hands and his face brushed against Matt’s head. A light, weak, laugh left the man at the dragon’s unusual affection. “Lance.”

 

Ocean blue eyes looked at the Team Leader and Spark gave him an apologetic look. 

 

“Do visit him once in awhile though.” The man spoke, concern in his voice, while the teen frowned slightly. “He may need time alone with Zekrom, but don’t le-”

 

“I’ll see what I can do. Bye Spark.” A protest left the man as the call ended. A concerned noise echoed from Kip as Lance reached up to pat his partner’s head and gather his things by the door. “I’ll be fine, Kip. Let’s go challenge Brycen and head off.” 

 

A paw batted at his cheek as the little mudfish Pokémon smacked his face. The little pokes ignored as he dressed himself in his coat and gloves. The food left in the bag and the door opened as Kip bit his ear and the teen winced. His Pokéball grabbed and the starter returned to it as he rubbed his sore flesh and closed the door behind him. The two Druddigon glanced at him in confusion while the teen headed down the stairs to them and the door was opened. A wave sent back at them as he walked out of the tower and didn’t look back. Hands curled into fists in his pockets and the tears across his cheeks hidden by his fur hood. 

 

“He’ll be fine by himself.”

* * *

“Zekrom, I’m fine.” Matt repeated for the fifth time as a rumble echoed. Hands rubbed against the dragon’s massive face and those red eyes closed. “Really. Just a little hot, bu-WhoA!”

 

One of the dragon’s arms moved away, before snow dumped on top of him. A yelp left the Gym Leader as the cold flakes chilled him to the bone and melted in seconds. Hazel eyes blinked at the phenomenon in shock, while he glanced down at the glowing lines on his left side and frowned. 

 

“The hell?”

 

_ “You’re sick.” _ Hazel eyes glanced back up at the dragon and snow dumped on top of his head. A loud sputter sounded, while fingers wiped it off his face and frowned at the water on his fingers.  _ “You’re…hotter than normal?” _

 

The confusion in the echoed voice had a light chuckle past Matt’s lips as the god huffed and looked away from him. 

 

“You mean my temperature?” A tilted head glanced at him and Matt smiled in amusement. “A temperature is how hot or cold something is. So my temperature was hotter than normal.”

 

A nod left the dragon at the information. 

 

_ “Both that boy and that bonded man said so.” _

 

“Lance and Spark?” Another nod left the god and Matt quickly looked around them. “Where is Lance?”

 

A huff left the dragon as the god slowly stood up and looked around. The area around them mostly melted, green, lush, grass across the ground in patches and the air a bit warmer as the cold started to try and creep back in. A loud flap sounded, before Zekrom took to the sky and landed on the balcony of the tower. The huge dragon stepped into the room and knelt down as Matt looked over the Legendaries hand and found the room empty. 

 

“Lance?” Silence filled the air as concern fell over the Gym Leader’s face. Fingers tightened around Zekrom’s palm, before the dragon lowered him enough to set his feet on the floor and stumble a little. A dizzy feeling crashed over him, as a second hand appeared for support and he set his hands on it. “Lance!”

 

Silence echoed around him as teeth sunk into his lower lip and his gaze fell on the plastic bag by the door. His feet moved before he could stop himself, the god cautiously watched him as he moved, before he knelt down beside it and pulled it open. Two breakfast containers inside and since gone cold. 

 

“W-Wasn’t he just here?” Hazel eyes looked back at the dragon and they nodded. “Then…then where is he? You don-Maybe he went out to get medicine or something. Or a cold compress or-”

 

_ “Matthew.” _

 

Tears rolled down his face. A hiccup echoed into the room as the god stood and moved toward him. Footsteps as soft as the huge dragon could manage, before they knelt down in front of him and a hand curled around behind him. 

 

“H-He was just here, right?” 

 

_ “He was.” _

 

“Then why did he-? Did I do something wrong?” 

 

A soft huff filled the air before the Legendaries hand tilted and he leaned back against it. The male easily lifted from the floor, bag in his lap, and toward the god’s face as he held tightly to the plastic and wiped at his face. 

 

_ “You did nothing wrong, Matthew.” _ Zekrom rumbled as his scars flashed and the male slapped a hand over his arm.  _ “He must’ve had a reason.” _

 

“H-he didn’t say goodbye.”

 

_ “Then maybe he plans to return.” _ Hazel eyes glanced up into red and the dragon nodded.  _ “Good bye means they leave for good right?” _

 

A weak smile fell over Matt’s face as he hiccuped and nodded. Gaze fallen to the bag in his lap and to the squished food in their containers. 

 

“Y-Yeah. Lance will come back.”

* * *

A heavy sigh and plop filled the air. A whine followed, before Spark lifted his head from the pillow and glared at his wall.

 

“Way to go, Spark. Make the kid cry why don’t you?”

 

“Who did you make cry again?” Blue eyes glanced over to his open door. 

 

A male stood in the doorway. Dark, black, hair every which way across his head, a yellow visor hat on his head and a yellow hoodie and black sweatpants on his form. A clipboard in his hands and the Team Leader’s eyes glared at the innocent object and the papers on it.

 

“Unova kid.” Spark mumbled as he sat up and picked up his PokéNav dropped on his mattress. “No, wait. He’s from Alola. He’s in Unova right now.”

 

A dark eyebrow raised and the Leader weakly smiled at the man. 

 

“What did you do?”

 

A wince left the Leader and Spark sighed. 

 

“Told him the truth.” Blue eyes looked away from his assistant and footsteps sounded toward him. The clipboard smacked gently on the top of his head. 

 

“This the same kid who saved the Hoenn Gym Leader I’ve heard so much about?” A nod left the man and a sigh echoed into the air. “What did you say?”

 

“Told the kid to leave Matt alone. He needs time with Zekr-”

 

WHAM!

 

A yelp left Spark as the clipboard slammed over his head and cracked. Dark eyes glared at him and shiver ran down the Leader’s spine as he harshly gulped. The remains of the clipboard lifted and the splinters shoved in his face. 

 

“You did what now?” The man spoke in a dangerous tone, while the Leader held his hands up in defense. 

 

“Matt’s not gunna learn to control his powers with Lance right next to him, Go! You know that!” A harsh smack to the top of his head had the man winced in pain and Go glared at him in disapproval. “Lance can’t keep coddling him and Matt can’t keep relying on him. Matt needs to trust Zekrom.”

 

“And sometimes I hate that.” 

 

Silence filled the room as blue eyes blinked at the man beside him and fingers tightened around the remains of the clipboard. 

 

“Go-?”

 

“Sometimes I wish you talked to me about things, you idiot.” The clipboard was pushed into his chest, papers crinkled and torn, while the male got up. “And sometimes I wish you didn’t try and help. The Legendary Pokémon are powerful, but they’re not human, Spark. They don’t understand a human being’s feelings. They can’t help you interact with us better.”

 

“Go, wha-”

 

“I’ll get Matt what he needs. Go do your rounds on the eggs in incubation room five.” The snapped tone had a worried look on the Leader’s face as the blonde watched his assistant leave.

 

His bedroom door slammed behind him and a wince left Spark. Hands held tight to the clipboard as he glanced down at it. 

 

“Nice job, Spark. Now Go is mad at you.” A frown fell over the man’s face as he thumbed through the papers and paused. Data littered the sheet and the papers lifted up to reveal the surface of the paper. “Go…damn it, I’m an idiot.”

 

Feet hit the floor as he grabbed his jacket and pulled it over his pajamas. His belt snagged, Pokéballs attached, as he bolted from the room and into the hall. 

 

“Go!”

 

The empty hall greeted him. Worry sunk deeper as he looked down at the clipboard and the messy handwriting scribbled and layered on top of each other. Go’s handwriting. 

 

_ Temperature/Energy Dampeners Prototype: Immune to electricity. Status: In Progress _

 

“Damn it…”


End file.
